In communication systems in which signals are coupled via a coaxial cable, such as community antenna television (CATV) systems, various equipment housings are typically distributed along the cable. For example, the communication signals are attenuated by the coaxial cable and amplifiers are commonly placed at periodic intervals to maintain proper signal levels. Directional couplers, splitters, multi-taps, and similar passive devices are also interposed at various points in the system to provide signals to various secondary transmission paths. As a more specific example multi-taps are used in CATV systems to provide a plurality of subscriber drops for connection to television receivers in the subscribers' premises. Segments of the coaxial cable must be coupled to each of these various equipment housings.
Typical CATV installations can be either aerial or underground. In aerial installations the coaxial cable and equipment housings are typically suspended from a metal strand. In underground installations the cable is buried underground with the equipment housings ordinarily mounted in pedestals. When aerial strand mounting is used, it is normally desired to provide access ports to the equipment housings on opposite sides so that bending of the coaxial cable is minimized. When pedestal mounting is used in underground or buried installations, access ports on the same side of the equipment housing are normally desired. To accomodate these conflicting requirements, a pair of access points are normally provided at two corners of the equipment housing so that either type of mounting can be accomodated with a single equipment housing. The unused access ports are plugged or capped.
The two commonly used methods of connecting the coaxial cable to the equipment housing include a feed-through connector and a center-seized connector. In the feed-through connector the center conductor of the coaxial cable feeds through the connector and is seized by a connector block within the equipment housing. In the center-seized connector the center conductor of the coaxial cable is seized by the connector and mechanically connected to a pin or probe which inserts into the equipment housing and is connected therein, for example, by a connector block.
While connector blocks capable of receiving the center conductor of the coaxial cable or the substitute connector probe from two right-angle directions are known in the prior art, the technique normally used is to provide two intersecting threaded holes through the block at 90.degree. . The conductor to be seized is inserted through one of the holes and a clamping screw or set-screw is threaded into the other of the holes to clamp the conductor in the connector block. It has been found, however, that this type of clamping severely damages the conductor being clamped. The set-screw presses the conductor against the wall of the intersecting hole thereby causing the threads and the hole edge to cut into the conductor. Furthermore, the conductor is pushed into the intersecting hole with additional bending damage. Since the center conductor expands and contracts with temperature changes, the bending and cutting encountered in typical prior art connector blocks create fracture or stress points that later contribute to failure of the center conductor. Since tolerances are typically close, failure of the center conductor may necessitate replacement of a lengthy segment of coaxial cable or an undesired splice in the cable. This form of clamping may also damage any plating on the center conductor or the substitute probe with resultant deleterious effect on the conductor or on the signals carried thereby.
Another prior art technique is to mount the connector block of the same form in the equipment housing directly to a circuit board or card. It has been found that the strain put on the circuit card when the center conductor expands or contracts with temperature changes causes failure of the circuit card. The prior art alternative to mounting on a circuit card generally includes mounting the connector block with hardware to an insulator which is relatively complex and cumbersome.